


Can’t Help Falling In Love With You

by thotiny



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Florist AU, Florist Park Seonghwa, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Shy Park Seonghwa, Songwriter/Producer Kim Hongjoong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:21:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24418795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thotiny/pseuds/thotiny
Summary: Seonghwa has never believed in love, especially since his last relationship. The only love he believes in is the love he has for flowers. But his opinions about love start to change, when he meets producer and songwriter Kim Hongjoong.
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, Mentioned Other Relationship(s)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 113





	Can’t Help Falling In Love With You

“What should our special be for this season?” Yeosang mutters as he taps the pen against his cheek in thought. 

“It _is_ summer,” Seonghwa reminds, taking out a tray from the oven, freshly baked cookies on it. “Maybe strawberry pretzel tarts. They were famous last year.”

“We made them last year,” San groans. 

Mingi’s eyes then light up. “Ooh, what about lemon blueberry mini cheesecakes?”

“That sounds good,” Seonghwa says, taking off his mittens. “You think they’ll be as popular as the tarts, though?”

“Probably,” Yeosang replies, letting out a squeal. “You are brilliant, Mingi. Let’s start making them.”

Yeosang, San, and Mingi then walk to the back where the kitchen is. Seonghwa takes off his apron and prepares everything up at his counter. He owns a flower shop, whilst Yeosang, San, and Mingi own a bakery. The flower shop and the bakery are in the same building since the four wanted to run a business together. The building has two stories: the bakery is downstairs, whilst the flower shop is upstairs. You can see both from outside, the name of the shop placed in between the two windows in elegant cursive. Their place is named _SYSM’S FLOWER SHOP AND BAKERY_ , and whilst the name isn’t that fancy, their place is really well known. Most of the people only come for the desserts, but sometimes, they come for the flower shop as well, so you can say their business is great.

“I’m going to open up the shop!” Seonghwa calls out, walking toward the door.

“Take care of the bakery, too, then!” San calls back.

“I know!”

Seonghwa unlocks the doors and flips the sign, so it can read ‘OPEN’ from the outside. They usually open the shop around six in the morning, since some people start working at that time. Seonghwa walks back toward his counter, and sits down on his Deshazo swivel adjustable height bar stool, waiting in case the little bell on top of the doors ring. Luckily, or not, he hears it ring not even a minute later, and he's quick to run down the stairs, smiling at the new customer.

“Good morning,” he greets, walking behind the counter, and tying a waist apron around his waist. “What may I get for you today, ma’am?”

The lady looks up at the menu, skimming her options, before she says, “Can I just have a grande iced coffee to go, please?”

Seonghwa nods, typing her order in. “Of course. Your total will be $2.65.” The lady nods this time, getting out her wallet. Whilst he waits, Seonghwa grabs one of the cups, writing the lady’s order on it. The lady hands him the change, and he thanks her, putting the money in the register. “Your order will be ready in a bit,” he tells her, and she nods again, walking toward the drop off section, taking out her phone. Seonghwa is quick to start on the iced coffee. A few minutes later, he finishes, and puts a black straw on top of the cup, before handing it to the lady. “Have a good day, ma’am.”

“Thank you. You, too,” she returns, before walking out of the shop. The door she opens closes behind her, and the little bell rings.

Seonghwa decides to leave his apron on, in case any other customers come in. The kitchen doors suddenly open, and Seonghwa looks to see who it is: Mingi.

“Hey,” Seonghwa greets. “How’s everything going so far?”

“It’s been fine,” Mingi replies. “Everything okay out here?”

Seonghwa nods. “I just made a lady an iced coffee.”

“Thanks, hyung,” Mingi says. “Anyway, we’ll probably be in there for a while more. Yeosang stupidly put the wrong ingredients in the first patch of the cheesecakes.”

Seonghwa shakes his head at Yeosang. “Alright. I’ll handle everything out here, then.”

“Thank you,” Mingi says, before walking back inside the kitchen. Seonghwa lets out a quiet sigh and starts waiting again.

Around six minutes later, the little bell rings again, and Seonghwa looks up, seeing a strawberry blonde-haired female entering the shop. Seonghwa smiles at her.

“Good morning,” he greets. “What may I get for you today?”

“I want to go to the flower shop,” the blonde replies. 

Seonghwa is a bit surprised, but he nods. “Follow me, then.”

The strawberry blonde nods this time, and follows behind Seonghwa. They walk upstairs until they reach the shop. Seonghwa walks behind the counter and the blonde stops in front of it.

“What time of flowers are you looking for, miss?” he asks.

“Do you have any flowers that say ‘sorry for cheating on you’?” the blonde replies.

“Tough luck, huh?” Seonghwa says. The blonde nods, letting out a sigh. “Roses are a symbol meant for love, and in your case, it’s better if you get them. The type of roses you want to get are white, dark pink, and red roses. White resembles humility and reverence, dark pink resembles gratitude, and red and white together resembles unity. Which colors would you want?”

“All of them please,” the blonde responds. “I _really_ messed up.”

Seonghwa nods. He guesses the strawberry blonde really cares for her partner to be getting up at six twenty-three in the morning and getting them flowers as an apology. Seonghwa is quick to gather the flowers all in one bouquet, putting a few lilies in them as well. Once he is done forming the bouquet, he cuts off the thorns, puts a few pieces of baby’s breath in it, and wraps a piece of lilac purple lace around them. He hands the bouquet to the blonde and types her order in.

“That’ll be $18.28,” he tells her.

The blonde gives him a twenty-dollar bill. “Keep the change. Th-thank you.”

Seonghwa nods. “Good luck.”

The strawberry blonde smiles at him before she walks down the stairs. Seonghwa lets out a smile and walks down the stairs as well.

\--

Later that day, Seonghwa finds himself, Yeosang, San, and Mingi upstairs, sitting down on the floor with their dinner in front of them. A bottle of juice is nearby, and they are currently laughing at something Yeosang said. Seonghwa takes a bite of his food, still smiling when they hear the little bell ring.

“It’s your turn, hyung,” Yeosang reminds.

“I know,” Seonghwa grumbles, placing his chopsticks down. He wipes his hands on his pants, and walks downstairs, looking up to see who it is. But once he does, his breath hitches. The male that has just entered is probably the most handsome male Seonghwa ever lays eyes on. The male has white hair, a small mullet starting to grow in the back, a slit in his left eyebrow, a straight nose, pink lips that look so soft, tan skin, his left pinky painted purple, and wearing a grey hoodie and black cargo joggers. Seonghwa purses his lips, walking behind the counter and tying the waist apron around himself. “G-good evening. W-what may I get for you today?”

The white-haired male seems a bit stunned at the sight of him, but a slightly smug smile grows on his face. “Hi. Can I just have a chocolate croissant, and a mocha frappe?”

Seonghwa nods, typing the male’s order in. “To here or to go?”

“Here,” the male replies.

Seonghwa nods again. “Your total will be three dollars.”

The male nods this time and gets out his wallet. As Seonghwa waits for the male to take out his money, he grabs a cup and scribbles ‘mocha frap’ on it with shaky hands.

“Here you go,” the male speaks up, handing Seonghwa his credit card.

“Thank you,” Seonghwa says softly.

“So, what’s your name?” the other male asks. 

Seonghwa is a bit surprised at the male’s question, but answers, “P-Park Seonghwa.”

“That’s a beautiful name,” the male compliments, and Seonghwa’s cheeks turn red.

“Th-thank you,” he mutters. Seonghwa hands the male his credit card, and the male thanks him. Seonghwa doesn’t tell him anything else, before he starts working on the frappuccino, putting the croissant into a takeout bag, forgetting the male wanted his order for here. A few minutes later, he is done with the drink, and places it down on the drop off counter. The male looks up once his order is done, and looks at Seonghwa, smiling at him.

“Thank you, Seonghwa,” the male says.

Seonghwa smiles at him, nodding, in case something stupid falls out of his mouth. The other male smiles at him one last time, before he walks out of the shop. Seonghwa lets out a sigh of relief and checks the time; six forty-two p.m. Seonghwa just stands there in the bakery, in case someone stupid comes in three minutes before they close. Thankfully, no one does, and Seonghwa flips the sign, so it can read ‘CLOSED’ from outside. After he locks everything else up, Seonghwa turns the light off from downstairs, making sure everything is turned off, and walks back upstairs.

“Guys,” he tells the others once he arrives, sitting down on the floor, “I probably saw the hottest guy I have ever laid eyes on.”

San raises an eyebrow, chocolate smushed all around his mouth. “Really? You haven’t said that in four years.”

Seonghwa ignores San’s last statement, grabbing a napkin, and cleaning the chocolate that is around his mouth. “Yeah. He was so hot, I swear I almost died.”

“Did you learn his name?” Mingi asks.

“No,” Seonghwa frowns, feeling stupid for not asking the hot guy for his name. “I gave him mine, but he didn’t give me his.”

“Maybe he didn’t want to,” Yeosang says. “Did it look as if he was interested in you?”

“Maybe,” Seonghwa mutters. “We didn’t really talk, though. I was too shy to say anything, and I think he was too busy doing something else on his phone.”

“Or he was too busy staring at you,” San smirks. “Come on, hyung. Next time you see this guy, ask him out.”

“Or at least try to learn his name,” Mingi adds.

“I probably won’t do both,” Seonghwa sighs. “Especially what you said, San. I don’t want to date anyone ever again.”

“What happened with Sam was five years ago,” Yeosang reminds. “You can date again, hyung. You haven’t dated in forever.”

“I have a reason. Besides I’m too busy with the shop to,” Seonghwa defends. “I’m fine on my own.”

“You sure?” San questions. 

Seonghwa nods, believing he is.

\--

The next day, Mingi is at the counter this time. Seonghwa is upstairs, working with a customer at his flower shop, Yeosang and San in the kitchen preparing another pastry, so Mingi gets cashier duty. He has helped six people so far, and it is barely six-fifty a.m. Hence why it is Wednesday. The little bell then rings again, and Mingi looks up, surprised to see probably the hottest male he has ever laid eyes on. There is a white-haired male next to him, but Mingi doesn’t pay that much attention to him.

“Good morning,” Mingi greets. “What may I get you two today?”

“Morning,” the guy Mingi is interested in greets back, smiling. “Can I have a white mocha?”

Mingi nods, typing the hot guy’s order in. He looks at the male next to the hot guy. “And for you?”

“A mocha frappe,” the guy replies.

Mingi nods, typing the guy’s order in as well. “Your name?”

“Yunho,” he answers. “What about yours?”

Mingi isn’t expecting the question, but he looks up, locking eyes with the raven-haired male. “M-Mingi.”

“You have a beautiful name,” Yunho compliments.

“Thank you.” Mingi shyly smiles and tells Yunho how much he needs to pay. The male gives Mingi the change, and he thanks him, assuring him their order will be ready soon. Yunho and his friend walk toward one of the tables. Mingi starts preparing their order, making sure he does everything correctly. When he is starting on Yunho’s order—he has already finished Yunho’s friend’s order—Mingi hears Seonghwa’s customer walk out the door, a bouquet in his hands. Seonghwa then walks down the stairs, walking toward Mingi.

“Hey, Mingi,” Seonghwa addresses. “Need any help?”

“No, but thank you,” Mingi replies, smiling at Seonghwa. The older nods, letting his eyes drift over their customers. There are only, like, five people inside, but Seonghwa’s eyes soon land on the male from yesterday, and he lets out a gasp. “A white mocha and mocha frappe for Yunho!” he calls out, placing the drinks down on the drop off counter.

At his name, Yunho gets up, as well as his friend. Yunho smiles at Mingi. “Thank you, Mingi.”

“You’re welcome.” The green-haired smiles back, a light red tint on his cheeks.

“Oh, hi again, Seonghwa,” Yunho’s friend greets, barely realizing Seonghwa is here as well. “How have you been?”

“H-hi,” he greets back. “G-good. You?”

“Me, too,” Yunho’s friend says.

The back kitchen doors open, Yeosang and San appearing. They walk toward Seonghwa and Mingi, a bit confused why they aren’t doing anything, but then San’s eyes light up, as he recognizes the guys Seonghwa and Mingi are talking to.

“Hey, guys,” San addresses. 

“Hey, San,” Yunho greets back.

“Where’s Wooyoung?” San asks.

“He’s asleep,” Yunho’s friend informs, shaking his head. “You know, for being really loud, it’s strange how quietly he sleeps.”

San giggles. “I know, right? Anyway, guys, this is Kim Hongjoong and Jeong Yunho. Some of Wooyoung’s best friends.” He points to each of them, as he introduces them. “Yunho, Hongjoong, these are my best friends: Park Seonghwa, Kang Yeosang, and Song Mingi.”

“Nice to meet you all.” Yunho smiles, shaking hands with the rest except San.

“Likewise,” Yeosang returns.

“Well, we better get going, or else we’ll be late,” Hongjoong says, his eyes drifting over toward Seonghwa again. The two lock eyes and Hongjoong smiles at the blonde-haired male. “See you guys later.”

“Bye.” San waves, and Hongjoong and Yunho leave the shop. Once the two are gone, San lets out a laugh. “You two just got yourselves hot boyfriends. Luckily, Hongjoong and Yunho are single, so you four can get together.”

“Mingi can get with Yunho,” Seonghwa mutters, starting to walk away. “Hongjoong can get with someone else.”

“Hyung-”

“I’m not going to date him,” Seonghwa says, walking up the stairs.

\--

 _“You actually thought I_ loved _you?” The brown-haired male let out a scoff, looking at a naked Seonghwa with hatred in his eyes. “Honey, I only got with you, because of a dare.” Sam hooked his index finger underneath Seonghwa’s chin, forcing the then raven-haired male to meet eyes with him. “I was dared to date the ‘shy and nerdy’ Park Seonghwa, gain his trust, sleep with him, and then leave him. Honey, I never loved you.”_

 _“H-how could you?” he sobbed, looking up at Sam with tears in his eyes, wrapping a duvet tightly around his naked frame, suddenly feeling exposed. “I-I_ loved _you, Sam.”_

_“Well, I didn’t,” he repeated. “Love is stupid. Love hurts. Love is nothing but a game. You were stupid to think there was any love between us, Seonghwa.”_

_“Leave,” he ordered, holding back a sob. “Leave, Sam. I don’t want to ever see you again.”_

_Sam let out a shrug, collecting his stuff, before leaving. Once he heard the door close, Seonghwa finally burst into tears._

“Hyung?” A voice snaps him out of his thoughts. “Are you alright?”

“Huh?” Seonghwa looks up to see who is talking to him: Mingi. “What did you say, Mingi?”

“I was asking if you wanted to taste one of the cheesecakes,” he explains. “Hyung, are you okay? You’ve been spacing out a lot these days.”

“I’m fine,” Seonghwa lies, grabbing one of the cheesecakes. He takes a bite, and the flavor of lemon, blueberry, and cheesecake explodes in his mouth. The three are a good combination, and Seonghwa finishes the whole thing. “That was so good. I think it’s going to get more popularity than the tarts from last summer.”

“You think?” Mingi asks hopefully. Seonghwa nods. Mingi sighs in relief. “Thank god. I’ll go downstairs, then, and help Yeosang and San set these up.” Seonghwa nods again, and Mingi heads toward the stairs. But, before he can walk down them, he looks back at Seonghwa. “Are you sure you’re okay, hyung?” 

“I’m sure,” Seonghwa lies again. 

Mingi looks at Seonghwa doubtfully but finally walks down the stairs. Once Mingi is out of earshot, Seonghwa lets out a sigh of relief. He sits down on his chair behind his counter, and tears fill his eyes again, as the memories of what happened almost five years ago run through his mind again. He wipes his tears away, but they keep on coming.

\--

A few days later, Seonghwa is doing cashier duty again. He is currently helping an old lady read off the menu since she forgot her glasses at her house. As he reads off the things on the menu, he hears the little bell ring, but he doesn’t look up to see who it is yet, too busy to do so.

“I’ll just get the lemon blueberry cheesecakes and water,” the lady finally decides. Seonghwa nods, typing her order in. “I’m sorry for being so much trouble, dear.”

“It’s fine, Grandma,” Seonghwa assures, giving her a small smile. “We all make mistakes. Your total will be $1.19.”

The old lady nods, getting out her wallet. She hands Seonghwa ten dollars. “Keep the change. You deserve it, dear.”

“Grandma-”

“I insist,” she cuts off. “Thanks for being so nice, dear.” She then walks toward a table to sit down, leaving Seonghwa there speechless. But he finally lets out a smile and places the money inside the cash register. He looks up to greet the next customer but stops midway when he sees Hongjoong.

“H-Hongjoong?” Seonghwa is surprised, to say the least. “W-what are you doing here?”

“Can’t I come in for my frappe?” Hongjoong asks, a small pout on his face.

Seonghwa tries really hard to not stare at Hongjoong’s pout. “Y-you can. Sorry. So regular frappe?”

Hongjoong nods and Seonghwa types his order in.

“You know, regular cashiers and people would get annoyed when someone forgot their glasses, and force the cashier to read the menu to them,” he says. “But you handled it perfectly. You even had a beautiful smile on your face.”

Seonghwa turns red at Hongjoong’s compliment, telling him how much he needs to pay. “M-my grandma was the same, so I got used to it, I guess.”

“Sorry,” he apologizes, as he hands Seonghwa the change.

“For what?” he questions.

“You said your grandma _was_ the same,” Hongjoong explains. “I assumed she’s dead, because of that.”

“Oh,” Seonghwa says. “She is. Thank you.”

Hongjoong nods and lets Seonghwa work on the drinks. When Seonghwa finishes his, he places it down on the drop off counter, calling out Hongjoong’s name.

“Thank you,” he says. “Have a good day, Seonghwa.”

“You, too,” he returns, smiling at Hongjoong.

\--

Over the next few days, Hongjoong keeps returning to the shop. So far, he’s only come here for the bakery, and he only comes when Seonghwa has cashier duty. The blonde thinks it is just a coincidence, but Yeosang, San, and Mingi tell him otherwise. Currently, Seonghwa is alone. He has cashier duty again, since Yeosang, San, and Mingi had to leave early, because of an emergency that coincidentally they all had. Seonghwa doesn’t really mind, but it does get tiring to walk up and down the stairs each hour.

“Have a good night,” he calls out after the last customer, the male closing the door behind him.

Seonghwa lets out a soft sigh, checking the clock; six thirty-one p.m. Just fourteen more minutes until they close. He's sure no one else would come in at this time, so he starts cleaning everything up. He cleans the tables, the chairs, sweeps the floor, and cleans the counter. When the clock strikes six forty-two, Seonghwa is about to flip the sign, so it can read ‘CLOSED’, but the door is suddenly opened, a tired-looking man coming in.

“S-sorry for coming in so late,” he apologizes, panting. “I-I came as quick as I could.”

Seonghwa stares at Hongjoong in surprise. The male’s eyes are red, dark bags under his eyes, and his white hair is all messed up. “I-it’s fine. Mocha frappe?”

Hongjoong shakes his head, for the first time in forever. “B-black coffee. And make it strong.”

“Isn’t that unhealthy?” Seonghwa says but still starts to make Hongjoong’s order.

“I’ve been up for thirty-four hours straight, Seonghwa,” he states. “Tell me which one is unhealthier.”

Seonghwa stays quiet. Making the black coffee doesn’t take that long, so a few minutes later, he places the cup down in front of Hongjoong. The white-haired male smiles at him thankfully, and Seonghwa smiles back, flipping the sign, so it can read ‘CLOSED’ this time.

“Do you mind if I sit down?” he asks.

“Of course not,” Hongjoong assures.

Seonghwa nods, thanking him. “Why were you up for thirty-four hours straight, anyway?” is the first question that falls out of Seonghwa’s mouth.

“I work as a songwriter and producer for KQ,” Hongjoong explains, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “One of their idols is having a comeback soon, and they needed me to write and produce three songs ASAP.”

“You still shouldn’t stay up for that long,” Seonghwa advises, a small frown on his face. “It’s unhealthy for you.”

“I know,” Hongjoong says, and he finally looks up to lock eyes with Seonghwa. “Drag me away from my studio, then, Seonghwa.”

The blonde lets out a giggle. “Maybe I will. You shouldn’t be up for that long.”

“Yes, mom,” Hongjoong says sarcastically, taking a sip of his coffee. “How long have you, Yeosang, San, and Mingi been working here?”

“Almost eight years,” Seonghwa replies, a small smile on his face. “Yeosang, San, and Mingi wanted to open up a bakery, and I wanted to open up a flower shop. We discussed it for a while, before agreeing to buy a building where we could do both. And that’s how _SYSM’S FLOWER SHOP AND BAKERY_ was made.”

“Wow,” Hongjoong says. “I’d never be able to do that.”

“What? Run a bakery or a flower shop?”

“Neither. Run a business.”

Seonghwa lets out a giggle. “You could if you put your mind into it.”

“You’re right, I could,” Hongjoong agrees, “but I’d be up each night trying to run it. I overthink sometimes, which causes me to stay up at night. It’s not pleasant, but I can’t force myself to sleep.”

“Maybe you just need a cuddle buddy,” Seonghwa jokes, cringing at himself for saying that.

“Maybe I do,” Hongjoong concurs. “And maybe that could be you.”

Seonghwa is a bit surprised, but he smiles back, sure his cheeks are red by now. “Maybe it could.”

\--

A few days later, it is Sunday. Seonghwa, Yeosang, San, and Mingi close up the shop two hours earlier. Currently, it is eight-o-nine in the morning, and Seonghwa is upstairs in his flower shop, whilst the younger three are in their bakery. He's scrolling through his feed on Instagram when he stops by a familiar account: _sammy810_. Seonghwa’s heart stops, but he still looks at what the post is: it is a picture of Sam, his hair now dyed black, and he is standing in front of Seoul University. The caption reads: _guess who’s going to stay in seoul to study? pray for me_.

Seonghwa’s phone drops out of his hands, falling to the floor, staring at his counter with wide eyes. The color drains from his skin, and he collapses down onto his knees. He's sure he would’ve had a heart attack if Yeosang hasn’t rushed toward him, yelling out, “Hyung!” Yeosang is quick to catch Seonghwa, before his head can hit the ground, wrapping his arms around the older. San and Mingi are quick to run inside as well, and run toward Seonghwa’s side. The younger three hug their hyung, and Yeosang grabs Seongwha’s phone, almost crushing it with his bare hands when he sees the post. “You’re okay,” he consoles, stroking Seonghwa’s blonde hair. “That bastard won’t be near you. You’re okay, hyung.”

“H-he...” Seonghwa can’t form sentences, shaking.

“Shh,” San softly shushes, stroking Seonghwa’s back.

The blonde breaks down into tears, and the others’ grip on him tightens. They don’t say anything, letting him sob. After what seems like an eternity, Seonghwa finally stops, feeling weak. They suddenly hear the little bell ring, and Mingi hesitantly gets up.

“I’ll go get it, and after this customer, I’m going to close the store,” he says, and Yeosang and San nod. Mingi walks away, climbing down the stairs. Once he reaches the bakery, he is surprised that Jongho, Yeosang’s new boyfriend, is there. “Oh, hey, Jongho,” he greets, walking behind the counter. “What can I get you today?”

“The usual,” Jongho replies, and Mingi nods, typing Jongho’s order in. “Is everything okay? Everything’s silent.”

“Seonghwa-hyung just had a panic attack,” Mingi lets out before he can think of a lie.

“Woah, is he okay?” Jongho asks worriedly.

Mingi nods, letting out a sigh. “I’m sure he will. Your total will be five dollars.”

Jongho hands him the change, and Mingi quietly thanks him. As he starts working on Jongho’s drink, the younger speaks up again: “Hey, hyung?”

“Yeah?”

“I know this probably isn’t a good time,” Jongho nervously chuckles, “but Hongjoong asked me if I could invite you guys to KQ’s party. They’re holding one for EDEN’s successful comeback.”

“Yeosang or one of us will text you after we decide,” Mingi says, and Jongho nods.

Mingi finishes Jongho’s drink a few minutes later, placing it down on the drop off counter. Jongho thanks him before he leaves the shop. Mingi flips the sign, turning off all the lights downstairs, before walking upstairs. Yeosang and San are still hugging Seonghwa, and Mingi joins them.

“Who was it?” Yeosang questions.

“Jongho,” Mingi answers. “He told us Hongjoong invited us to KQ’s party.”

“We’re not going to go,” San quickly decides. 

“W-why not?” Seonghwa inquires, finally looked up.

“Haven’t you looked at yourself?” San retorts, raising an eyebrow. “You’re in no state to go to a party. You might have a panic attack again. What if we’re not there to protect you?”

Seonghwa rolls his eyes. “I’ll be fine. I wanna go. It’ll help take my mind off things.”

After nine minutes of convincing, Yeosang, San, and Mingi finally agree to let Seonghwa go to the party.

\--

“Hurry up, hyung!” Mingi whines as he knocks on the bathroom door impatiently. “I need to go pee.”

“Hold your horses, Song,” Seonghwa grumbles. “I’m almost done.”

Mingi rolls his eyes, waiting for Seonghwa to get out of the bathroom. The blonde soon does, and, as Mingi looks at him, he is surprised that Seonghwa is dressed in a black v-neck shirt that shows off his collarbones, a black button cardigan on top, the shirt tucked into white jeans, and a thin black and silver necklace wrapped around his neck, two other black necklaces dangling from his neck. His hair is still damp, his bangs brushed down. There is red eyeshadow around his eyes, a light coat of red lipgloss on his lips, and a silver upside-down triangle earring on his left ear.

“Who are you looking so nice for?” Mingi asks, raising an eyebrow.

“No one,” Seonghwa mutters, frowning. 

“If you say so,” Mingi mumbles under his breath, before walking inside the bathroom.

“Are you guys ready?” Seonghwa questions Yeosang and San.

“Yeah,” Yeosang replies. “Are _you_?”

“Obviously. I’ll wait in the car.”

Yeosang and San nod, and Seonghwa walks away. He grabs the keys to San’s car and walks out of his house, heading toward the vehicle. He unlocks it, and gets in, sitting in the passenger’s seat. A few minutes later, Yeosang, San, and Mingi walk out, San sitting in the driver’s seat, whilst the other two sit in the back.

“Are you all ready?” he inquires, buckling himself in.

Everyone else nods, so San starts driving. Around seventeen minutes later, he arrives at the KQ building, and they all get out of the car. They walk toward the entrance and show the guard their invitation. The guard lets them in, and the four of them walk inside the building. They can already hear and feel the vibration coming from the music, and soon arrive. Mingi quickly notices Yunho, and only Wooyoung and Jongho are with him.

“Hey, guys,” Mingi greets, pecking Yunho’s lips.

“Hey,” he greets back, smiling at his boyfriend. “Glad you guys could make it. You all look nice.”

Yeosang smiles, Jongho’s arm wrapping itself around his waist. “Thanks. You all look nice, too. Where’s Hongjoong-hyung?”

“He’s talking with EDEN,” Jongho informs. “He’ll be here soon.”

As said, Hongjoong joins them soon. Seonghwa is taking a sip of his drink, but once he catches sight of Hongjoong, he almost spits his drink out. Hongjoong is dressed in a light gray silk long-sleeved button-up tucked into black jeans, his hair looking wet, with his bangs brushed down.

“Hey, guys,” he addresses, smiling at them. But his eyes slightly widen once he looks at Seonghwa. “Wow, hyung, you look really nice.”

“Th-thanks.” No one fails to notice how red Seonghwa’s cheeks turn. “Y-you look really nice, too.”

Hongjoong smiles back. “Thanks. So we ready to get this party on or what?”

“Hyung, _never_ say that ever again,” Yunho says, slightly cringing.

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. “Whatever. Come on, let’s go dance.”

\--

Five hours later, Seonghwa finds himself in front of a toilet, throwing up, with Hongjoong’s hands rubbing his back comfortingly. It takes a few seconds, but Seonghwa finally stops, letting out a sigh of relief. Hongjoong softly smiles, and he cleans the toilet seat, flushing it. He looks at Seonghwa, seeing that the older seems really tired.

“Hwa?” The nickname falls out of Hongjoong’s lips easily. “You wanna go upstairs?”

Seonghwa nods, and he tries to stand up, but fails. Hongjoong smiles, and helps Seonghwa up, bending down a little. Seonghwa is confused, but then gets the message, hopping on Hongjoong’s back, loosely wrapping his arms around the younger’s neck, doing the same to Hongjoong’s waist with his legs. The white-haired male grips Seonghwa’s thighs from underneath, so he won’t fall and carries him upstairs. They arrive at an empty room, and Hongjoong places Seonghwa down on the bed.

“Hmm...thanks,” he mutters, feeling light-headed.

Hongjoong nods. “Wait here. I’ll be back to get you water.”

Seonghwa nods this time, and Hongjoong leaves. He comes back with water, as promised, and helps Seonghwa sit up, so he can drink it. Hongjoong then tucks Seonghwa under the covers, a yawn escaping the blonde’s lips.

“Hongjoong?” he speaks up.

“Yeah?”

“Can I tell you something?” Seonghwa asks.

“Um...sure, Hwa.”

Seonghwa subconsciously smiles at the nickname, but his smile turns into a frown. “Today I had a panic attack. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, and I was sure I would’ve had a heart attack if Yeosang and the others hadn’t come in in time.”

“W-why did you have a panic attack?” Hongjoong questions.

“I saw my ex-boyfriend’s post that said he was in Seoul,” Seonghwa explains, tears brimming in his eyes, and he lets them fall. “M-my ex-boyfriend was my first and last love. He was the one that made me believe in love. I thought he loved me, so I loved him with every inch of my being. But once we slept together, it turns out he just did everything, because of a dare. H-he was dared to gain my trust, d-date me, s-sleep with me, a-and then leave me. The last words he said to me was ‘love is stupid. Love hurts. Love is nothing but a game. You were stupid to think there was any love between us, Seonghwa.’ I-I never believed in love again. H-he broke me, a-and I haven’t been able to put the pieces together. I-it’s been four years, and I miss having someone by side, b-but I don’t want to get hurt again.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that, Hwa,” Hongjoong frowns, sitting down next to the blonde, sitting up against the headboard. “But one day you will find the right one, and I promise you he will treat you right. Love isn’t stupid. It hurts, but only if you’re with the wrong one. Love isn’t a game. Love is pure. It _means_ something. It is a strong affection you feel for someone. Love...it is amazing. Once you find the right one, Seonghwa, I promise you’ll see that love truly is worth it.”

Seonghwa nods quietly. He looks at Hongjoong’s hand, staring at the pinky that is painted. Seonghwa looks up at Hongjoong, who is already staring back at him. Seonghwa sits up, and he leans in closer toward Hongjoong. They stare at each other’s lips, before Seonghwa finally connects them.

\--

“You’re not stupid, hyung,” Yeosang repeats for the nth time, as Seonghwa keeps muttering to himself ‘I am so stupid.’

“I am!” he exclaims. “I _kissed_ Hongjoong! God, I’m an idiot!”

“Did he kiss you back?” San questions.

Seonghwa nods. “That’s the worse part.”

“Was it nice?” Mingi says.

Seonghwa nods again, biting his lower lip. “That’s the worse part, too.”

“I’m sure everything’s going to be fine,” Yeosang assures, trying to calm Seonghwa down. It is currently nine thirty-three in the morning, and Seonghwa woke up three hours ago. When he remembered he and Hongjoong kissed last night, he panicked, and fled from the building, dragging Yeosang, San, and Mingi behind him.

“What if it isn’t?” he frowns.

“It will.”

\--

Sixteen days have now passed, and Seonghwa hasn’t seen Hongjoong ever since the party. Seonghwa convinces himself it's because of their kiss at the party, and slaps himself for it every day, but the others always say it isn’t. But now _two weeks and two days_ have passed, so Seonghwa’s starting to believe that it is. Currently, Seonghwa is upstairs, sitting down behind his counter, drumming his fingers on the countertop nervously, when he hears footsteps going up the stairs. He assumes it is another customer, so he stops, but he definitely doesn’t expect to see Hongjoong.

“H-Hongjoong,” Seonghwa lets out, a bit surprised.

“Hey.” Hongjoong gives Seonghwa a small smile. “Look, I’m in a rush, but can you arrange a bouquet that has purple lilacs, red camellias, pink stock flowers, red chrysanthemums, and pink alstroemeria? I’ll come pick them up around four. Thanks, Seonghwa.” And with that, Hongjoong places down a fifty dollar bill on the countertop, before running down the stairs. 

Seonghwa is a bit surprised at Hongjoong’s order but starts doing it. As he gathers all the flowers, he realizes all these flowers symbolize love. Seonghwa’s heart drops. He knew Hongjoong doesn’t love him. Seonghwa was stupid to believe that Hongjoong actually had feelings for him. Tears fall down Seonghwa’s face, but he quickly wipes them away, continuing to gather the flowers. When he is done, he puts baby’s breath in them as well, and a pink lace around them, making sure to cut the thorns out.

\--

When four-o-three p.m. rolls around, Seonghwa hears frantic footsteps rush up the stairs, and he knows it is Hongjoong. Seonghwa’s heart drops, as he remembers the younger is about to give a bouquet of love to someone else that isn’t him, but what did he expect? That Hongjoong would magically fall in love with him over the short period of time they knew each other?

That's stupid.

“Sorry for being late,” Hongjoong apologizes, panting. “Is the bouquet ready?”

Seonghwa nods, not wanting to say anything. He grabs the bouquet from the counter and shows it to Hongjoong. “I-is this what you wanted?”

A bright smile appears over Hongjoong’s face. “This is perfect. Thanks, Seonghwa.”

The blonde nods. “I hope your partner enjoys it.”

“Me, too,” Hongjoong mutters quietly, maybe to himself, but Seonghwa hears it. “H-Hwa, can you come out here please?”

Seonghwa is a bit confused, but he does as he is told. He walks toward Hongjoong, looking at him in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

Hongjoong smiles shyly. “C-can you stick out your hand?”

Confused, Seonghwa does as he is told, sticking out his hand. He is then met by the warmth of Hongjoong’s hand, and the white-haired male pulls him closer, taking him by surprise. “Seonghwa, ever since you told me about your ex-boyfriend, and how you don’t believe in love, I kept on convincing myself to try to change your mind. E-ever since I first met you, I thought you were beautiful. At first, because of your looks, but when you had patience for that old lady, I realized you were beautiful inside, too. And that’s when I fell for you. I don’t think you feel the same way, but Seonghwa, I fell for you. Hard. It’s fine if you don’t accept my feelings, but please accept the bouquet that you put together as a gift from me, because, Park Seonghwa, you deserve to love, and to be loved. If your ex-boyfriend was a bastard, and couldn’t show you love, at least let someone else that is much better show you what love truly is.”

Seonghwa doesn’t even know he is crying, until he feels the familiar saltiness of tears in his mouth. He looks at Hongjoong, seeing a sincere look in the male’s eyes, and suddenly, Seonghwa pulls him forward, engulfing him into a hug, making him drop the bouquet. Hongjoong is a bit surprised, but he hugs Seonghwa back, wrapping his arms around the older’s waist. Seonghwa sobs against Hongjoong’s shoulder and the white-haired male rubs his back soothingly. Seonghwa pulls away a few seconds later, sniffling, and smiling at Hongjoong shyly. Seonghwa bends down to grab the bouquet, and he finally presses his and Hongjoong’s lips together again. He pulls away seconds later.

“I accept your bouquet of love, Hongjoong,” he tells him, “and I’ll accept your love, too.”

In the end, Seonghwa does end up being Hongjoong’s cuddle buddy.

**Author's Note:**

> i originally only wanted to just write florist seonghwa fluff, but i let my fingers type away, and they came up with this. hope you enjoyed :)
> 
> title inspired by elvis presley’s “can’t help falling in love”


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